For Her
by Duke157
Summary: Hermione has not been herself since the war had ended. What had changed? Rated T for language.


**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters.**

 **Word Count: 1116**

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 **Challenge:** HSWW Forum - Assignment #4 - Astrology & Horoscopes - Water task

 **Prompt:** Write about someone discovering a friend/family member/ loved one's secret.

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 **Challenge:** HSWW Forum - 2017 Event: New Year's Resolutions

 **Prompt:** Write about part of your OTP dying.

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 **Challenge:** HSWW Forum - Writing Club - Showtime - Act one

 **Prompt:** Non-Stop: (era) Post-war (Between years '81-86 or '98-'03)

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 **Challenge:** Are you Crazy Enough To Do It Challenge

 **Prompt:** 184\. (drink) Vodka

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Hermione wrestled her arm out of Ginny's grasp and took another sip of vodka from the bottle in her hand.

"How is it so hard to control her? There's two of us and one of her, and she's smaller than both of us."

"Merlin if I know, Harry."

"We should get rid of that bottle first."

"NO!" Hermione screamed. She turned to her raven-haired friend and proceeded to give him the harshest glare she could manage.

"She'll start crying if we do that. If you think she's uncooperative now, wait till that happens."

Harry gulped audibly. "Okay… she can keep her vodka."

A joyful Hermione took another swig from the bottle and returned to her previous engagement of staring at the street lamps.

The couple were escorting their best friend back from the local pub. It had been around two months since the war had ended and things were not looking good for the Golden Girl. The nights that previously revolved around her books were now filled with that slow poison, and her friends were baffled as to what had changed so drastically for her to become a drunkard.

Initially, they assumed it was the nightmares and the trauma. But Hermione had since confirmed that it had been neither. This had been the fifth time they had to rescue her from the pub because she had gotten into a drunken fight with some random guy or girl. Usually they wouldn't be so worried if someone tried to take on the best witch of their age. But in her inebriated state her wand wielding capabilities were not up to mark, to say the least.

"Should we just Apparate? It would be much faster and we wouldn't have to deal with this."

"No, Harry. We are not apparating. Do you know how long it took to get vomit out of her carpet the last time we did that? And I used magic! I used magic and it took me TWO FUCKING HOURS! So no, we are not apparating."

"Fine… Why do you think…"

"I don't know, Harry. I don't know. I tried asking her when she's sober, but she just won't answer me. Instead she will shut herself in her room or else mope in the kitchen while eating something."

"I've tried asking her as well. She just shuts up on me. I think I found her crying to herself a few times, but I decided against questioning her."

"Did you ask her while she was drunk?"

"No… Why would I do that?"

"Sometimes, muggle alcohol removes the filter on your mouth. You know, I think we should ask her right now."

"I don't thin-"

"Hey, Hermione… Hermione." The bushy-haired brunette turned to the sound of the voice. "Hermione, why do you drink so much every day?"

Hermione seemed to ponder the words for a minute, squinting time and again as if she was thinking really hard to answer her question.

"Ginny, I don't thin-"

"Draco…" Hermione mumbled lightly. Suddenly, her eyes welled up and she burst into tears while clutching Harry's shirt, her head buried in his chest. The bottle of vodka dropped from her hands and shattered against the hard tarmac.

Harry wrapped his arms around her. He exchanged a look with his girlfriend. They had to get her home, and fast. Whatever happened after that was something they could take care of later. Ginny grabbed the two of them and warped them home with side-along apparition.

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"It's going to take at least an hour to get that out."

"I know and I'm sorry love. But-"

"I know… Just remember, you're helping me."

"I will, now can you go check on her. She's been in there for a while."

"Yeah. I'm going."

Ginny knocked on the bathroom door. "Hermione, you alright in there?"

"Yeah… Be out in a minute." They heard her respond from beyond the door.

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The couple had to wait for another few minutes before she came out. Their friend looked worn out but still sober. They handed her a bottle of water and made her sit down.

"How are you feeling?"

"Mmm… fine…"

"Do you want to talk about it? About… Draco?" Ginny questioned slowly. Her boyfriend instantly rushed in to intercept.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. If you're tired you can to sleep. We can talk about this later, if you are fine with it. There is no-"

"How much did I say?"

"Hermione, there is no-"

Hermione waved a hand at her best friend. "It is okay, Harry. I've been putting this off for far too long. Might as well get this over with while I can't think about it properly… Harry, Ginny, I have been… keeping a secret, and it has to do with… with… Draco… Malfoy." The tears started to roll down her cheeks involuntarily.

"Hermione, you don't-"

"No! I am going to tell you, and you are going to listen. Draco… and I… we were… we were…"

"Hermione…"

"We were… together... And… and we promised… after the war… we would tell everyone… b-but… he…"

"Hermione…"

"HE FUCKING DIED! KILLED BY HIS OWN FUCKING FATHER NO LESS! THAT BASTARD! WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON HIM! I WILL FUCKING MURDER HIM WITH MY BARE HANDS!"

Ginny pulled Hermione back to the sofa as she was starting to get out of hand. "Calm down."

"NO! HARRY, LET ME INTO AZKABAN!"

"Hermione… sit down." Harry pleaded.

She sat down and started to sob uncontrollably. It took a lot of time and tears for her to finally get to sleep, after which she was transferred to the bed upstairs.

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Harry knew this was a lot to take in at the moment. His almost sister-like best friend was in love with and mourning the death of one of his worst rival and enemy as a student. But he knew better than to put his childhood prejudices over her feelings.

But now, his most important job is to be there for her, and help her in coming to terms with Malfoy's death. And that's exactly what he and Ginny will do.

"She really did love him. I've never seen her respond with such rage." Harry thought aloud.

"Neither have I… Are you fine with that?"

"It isn't my place to decide who she can and cannot love. And yes, even if it was, I am fine with it. Might take some time to process it, but I will be fine with it."

"Good… You know, she may never…"

"We still have to try." Harry stood up from his seat and walked over to the room where his best friend was now asleep in her favorite aquamarine pajamas. "For her."

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 **I know this is not my best work by any stretch. But I'm short on time and this is best i could come up with.**

 **Maybe sometime in the near future, I will edit this and repost.**

 **Review and let me know what you think.**


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